The Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Burger, made in the Juicy Lucy style, is truly an experience! We’re bringing together two iconic foods to get the best of both worlds. This burger is oozing with flavor, from the cheesy jalapeño stuffed burger patty to the barbecue ranch dressed greens and salty bacon. Put it all between two hearty pretzel buns, and you’ve got one unforgettable burger!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Chilling the cream cheese and jalapeño filling into discs before stuffing the patties firms it up, so it holds its shape once sandwiched between the raw beef rather than oozing out during shaping
- Pressing the beef patties very thin before stuffing them means the finished, sandwiched burger ends up at a normal thickness rather than an oversized double-patty
- Grilling over direct heat first, then moving to indirect to finish, chars the outside before the interior needs to catch up, protecting the cheese filling from overcooking while the beef reaches temperature
- Combining Big Rick's Bar-B-Q Sauce with ranch instead of using either alone builds a tangy, creamy drizzle that ties the bacon, celery, and stuffed patty together
Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Burger
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
4
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Calories
1198
Introducing a new recipe for the ultimate burger experience: The Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Burger! Enjoy two iconic flavors in one delicious patty, with a crispy bacon layer, barbecue ranch topped greens, and a cheese-filled jalapeño stuffed patty. All sandwiched between two hearty pretzel buns - it doesn't get better than this! Get ready for flavor overload!
Ingredients
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 oz sharp cheddar, grated
- 2 large jalapeños, minced
-
2 tsp Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub
- 2 lb ground beef
- 4 pretzel rolls, toasted
- 8 slices thick cut bacon, cooked
-
1/4 cup Big Rick’s Original Bar-B-Q Sauce
-
1/4 cup ranch dressing (recipe here)
- 2 celery stalks, shaved into thin ribbons with a peeler
Directions
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 450ºF set up for direct grilling with GrillGrate panels installed over the fire box.
- Combine the cream cheese, sharp cheddar, minced jalapeño and Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub in a small bowl. Mix well. Divide into two equal sized discs. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
- Divide the ground beef into four equal sized patties. Press very thin.
- Place each disc of the cream cheese mixture on a beef patty. Place another patty over the top of the cream cheese disc. Press the edges together and form into one large burger patty.
- Season the patties lightly on both side with the Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub.
- Grill the burger over direct heat on the GrillGrate panels. Cook until nicely charred. Flip and repeat. Move the burgers to the indirect side of the grill (away from the flame). Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 155 in the innermost part of the meat (not cheese), about 30 minutes total.
To assemble the Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Burgers, place you bacon slices on the bottom bun of the toasted pretzel roll. Place the stuffed burger patty over the bacon. Pile the thin shaved celery ribbons on top of the burger. Combine the Big Rick's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce and ranch dressing and drizzle over the celery. Finish with the top bun.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why chill the cream cheese and jalapeño filling into discs before stuffing the patties?
Refrigerating the mixture firms it up, so it holds its shape once it's sandwiched between two thin beef patties, rather than staying soft and oozing out while the burger is being formed.
Why press the beef patties very thin before stuffing them with the cheese mixture?
Starting with thin patties means the finished, sandwiched burger — two patties plus a disc of filling — ends up at a normal burger thickness, rather than becoming an oversized double-patty.
Why grill over direct heat first, then move to indirect heat to finish?
Direct heat chars the outside of the burger quickly. Moving it to the indirect side afterward lets the interior catch up to temperature more gently, protecting the cheese filling from overcooking while the beef finishes.
Why combine Big Rick's Bar-B-Q Sauce with ranch dressing instead of using one or the other?
Blending the two builds a tangy, creamy drizzle that ties the bacon, celery ribbons, and stuffed patty together, rather than leaning fully sweet-smoky or fully creamy on its own.
Does pulling the patties at 155°F mean they're fully cooked?
Not quite — this recipe's own directions pull them at 155°F in the innermost part of the meat, but ground beef needs to reach a minimum internal temperature of 160°F to be safe. Continue cooking to at least 160°F rather than pulling at 155°F.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — a well-seasoned cast iron griddle or skillet on the stovetop can sear and finish these stuffed patties exactly the way the grill does here.
Recipe Highlights
Chilled filling discs: Hold their shape during patty assembly.
Thin-pressed patties: Keeps the stuffed burger at a normal final thickness.
Direct-then-indirect grilling: Protects the filling while the beef finishes cooking.
Combined BBQ-ranch drizzle: Ties the toppings together in one sauce.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 15.87 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 1198
- Carbs
- 49 grams
- Protein
- 69 grams
- Fat
- 79 grams
- Sodium
- 1867 milligrams
